The Damned Of The Earth

Upon his death, a young African director, Abramo Malonga, bequeathed his first and last unfinished film to his former teacher, the Italian director Fausto Morelli. Morelli, who after seeing the work, is confronted with a confusing, complex and, in part, incomprehensible work. Helped by the young widow of Abramo Malonga and by the notes left by his deceased friend, and again by his personal memories, the Italian director attempts to reconstruct and complete the film. Fausto's work progresses with difficulty, not only because of the problems the film poses for him, but because of the problems that arise in his daily life. After a long crisis, after which he returns to Pisa with his former party companions and abandons himself to love and his own solitude, Fausto takes up the work of his African friend, closing it with a final invention, in which , with a bold metaphor, has refigured the human condition of our time.

Directed by Valentino Orsini, The Damned Of The Earth leans on a strong ensemble — Frank Wolff, Marilù Tolo, Serigne Ndiaye Gonzales — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1969.